Why Is Splitting Strategy for the Back Player Profitable ?

In appendix 19 of wizard homepage you give advice for ‘Splitting strategy for the back players’. Now, I believe in simulations but would as well like to know in words, why an edge can be achieved if the two players collude.

I am a Swiss advantage player who enjoys yearly vacations in Las Vegas. Primarily for WSOP poker tournaments in June, but as well for high limit blackjack as side action.

I come up with this topic, because I recently saw the back player strategy applied in one of the Swiss casinos, where playing together at the blackjack table is completely legal and as well tolerated.

Are there some simple explanations for the advantage by splitting almost any pair against high dealer upcard ?

mpower

Some splits don't give you an advantage they lessen your disadvantage.

Below is a very brief excerpt from a long-ago Post of the Month at bj21.com, which if you are a Green Chip member you can read at https://bj21.com/boards/green-chip-forums/sub_boards/green-chip-general/topics/splitting-hairs-on-hairy-splits

FB is the front bettor (or "caller"), who places the small wager, and BB is the big bettor (or "rider"), who places the big wager behind the FB.

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As a simple example, let’s assume the FB bets $10, while the BB bets $100, on a 6D, S17, DAS game. Our heroes are dealt 6-6 vs. 9. What is their optimal play?

If we consult an expectation table, for example, the Wizard of Odds Appendix 9 table (sorry, Don… his were online so I didn’t have to type them myself!) at http://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/appendix/9/6ds17r4/, we can see that the Hit expectation is -0.347155, which means that if they Hit (the BS play, of course), our team can expect a return of -0.347155*($110) = -$38.18705.

But what if they Split? The same table shows the Split expectation is -0.602063, but this is for “normal” splits, where both resulting hands begin with the same wager. For each of the two hands, then, the expectation is one-half the given value, or -0.3010315. Now if the team performs an unequal split, they’ll have one $110 bet and one $10 bet, each with an expectation of -0.3010315. This means that our heroes can expect a return of -0.3010315*($110 + $10) = -$36.12378. Although this is still negative, it’s not as negative as the BS play of Hit. Thus, in this case the optimal “team” play is to perform an unequal split.
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The post then goes on to detail under what conditions such unequal splits should be used, depending on the house rules as well as the ratio of the big bet to the small bet. It then details how the information can be used for some Match Plays, and shows the maximum increase in player EV with the optimal strategy.

Spoiler alert: unless the BJ game has extremely liberal rules, the maximum return will not overcome the house edge.

The post is followed by 7 more that show the EV's for every potential split.

Dog Hand

Thanks DogHand.

Your answer enlightens my view on the topic. Unfortunately, I am no green chip member.

I have to add, that the mentioned Swiss Casino has excellent rules for 6 deck blackjack (with early surrender). The return must be around 100.21% for optimal play.

mpower

Quote: mpower

In appendix 19 of wizard homepage you give advice for ‘Splitting strategy for the back players’. Now, I believe in simulations but would as well like to know in words, why an edge can be achieved if the two players collude.

I am a Swiss advantage player who enjoys yearly vacations in Las Vegas. Primarily for WSOP poker tournaments in June, but as well for high limit blackjack as side action.

I come up with this topic, because I recently saw the back player strategy applied in one of the Swiss casinos, where playing together at the blackjack table is completely legal and as well tolerated.

Are there some simple explanations for the advantage by splitting almost any pair against high dealer upcard ?

mpower
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I think Wong’s book Blackjack secrets has charts in it with the strategy .

Quote: rainman

Some splits don't give you an advantage they lessen your disadvantage.
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There's a level beyond that too- some splits are profitable if you don't have to double your bet.

So you might have a pair of 3s vs. dealer 10, normally you wouldn't split those but if you have a tiny bet down and you have a backlining partner with a big bet, you can split them, and now your partner is drawing to a 3 rather than a 6 and with a chance to double.

I've played this way and it's worth something, but not a whole heck of a lot. Its biggest advantage might be being able to play a call-in game with a skilled player calling the shots and getting a little extra advantage by knowing backline split strategy. But I don't believe there are any casinos in the US that still allow it. They banned it because it creates disputes between the seated and backline player.

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Quote: rainman

Some splits don't give you an advantage they lessen your disadvantage.
link to original post

There's a level beyond that too- some splits are profitable if you don't have to double your bet.

So you might have a pair of 3s vs. dealer 10, normally you wouldn't split those but if you have a tiny bet down and you have a backlining partner with a big bet, you can split them, and now your partner is drawing to a 3 rather than a 6 and with a chance to double.

I've played this way and it's worth something, but not a whole heck of a lot. Its biggest advantage might be being able to play a call-in game with a skilled player calling the shots and getting a little extra advantage by knowing backline split strategy. But I don't believe there are any casinos in the US that still allow it. They banned it because it creates disputes between the seated and backline player.
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The famous story goes something like this. The seated player is playing $5 bet the back betting player is betting $500 . They are dealt a hard 20 the seated player tells the back bettor that he’s going to hit the 20 unless the back bettor gives him $100 or some amount of money. The floor is called And says there’s nothing they can do as the seated player controls the spot. Has this ever happened, who knows maybe just a casino legend.

I’ve played everywhere but haven’t encountered this situation. If back better is allowed, the seated player always makes the decision and the back better must follow it.

Quote: aceside

I’ve played everywhere but haven’t encountered this situation. If back better is allowed, the seated player always makes the decision and the back better must follow it.
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Yes that is so. But one thing the back better doesn't ever have to do is put more money down. So if the seated better chooses to split, the back better can either put more money down for the split, or play his original bet on the first split hand only.

Those things are in online forums, not in real casinos. There are no such things as split for less or split for more, as far as I know.

Quote: aceside

Those things are in online forums, not in real casinos. There are no such things as split for less or split for more, as far as I know.
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I don't know of any place that allows it now either. But with 100% certainty, it was allowed in many stores up to the early 2000s.

This was back before there were a lot of casinos outside of Vegas and before they decided to make it all about slots, and blackjack tables were sometimes very, very busy.

Actually, one place allows back better, but only with a bet amount up to the seated player amount.

Quote: aceside

I’ve played everywhere but haven’t encountered this situation. If back better is allowed, the seated player always makes the decision and the back better must follow it.
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In some foreign countries whoever is betting more money controls the decision, if both betting the same the seated player does.

Quote: aceside

I’ve played everywhere but haven’t encountered this situation. If back better is allowed, the seated player always makes the decision and the back better must follow it.
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In some foreign countries whoever is betting more money controls the decision, if both betting the same the seated player does.
Also as Monkey previously said if the back bettor didn’t want to split he didn’t have to . The last time I have encountered this rule was around 2013